No-ONE who ever tried plucking the strings of a ukulele could fail to be inspired by Billy ''Uke'' Scott. Always sooner than later, his name cropped up in teaching manuals, inspiring compositions and recordings.
From an instrument that reputedly possessed the
charisma of a viola or kazoo, Billy ''Uke'' Scott would turn out songs and tunes that amazed and delighted audiences everywhere. His preferred choice was the traditional wooden ukulele because of its sweeter sound, rather than the more strident banjolele favoured by George Formby - though he played both.
A popular radio performer - he was one of the biggest variety stars in Britain in the 1930s and 1940s - he would finish his spot by mentioning an unlikely work, then add: ''And finally,
to prove that this melody can be played on the ukelele . . . '' and proceed to play an intricate solo.
His ability received its own tribute on BBC radio. An early Goon Show script by Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers says: ''And, tonight, I have included in my repertoire Schubert's
violin sonata, guest soloist - Billy 'Uke' Scott''.
Singer, songwriter and soloist, his compositions numbered more than a 100, including his signature tune, He's Only Singing For One. He was in demand for songs from fellow stars such as George Formby, Harry Seltzer and Max Miller.
Never known as anything but Billy ''Uke'' Scott, he was born William Scott in Sunderland, and made his variety debut at age 13 in the Empire in Newcastle.
His boyish, buoyant personality and brilliant musicianship soon made him a hit on the powerful Moss Empire touring circuit and he played the Glasgow Empire in Sauchiehall Street many times in the 1950s, appearing on bills during UK tours with Gracie Fields, Will Hay and Tommy Trinder.
When television killed off variety, Scott became a theatrical agent, and was the subject of a TV programme, The Impresarios, presented by Melvyn Bragg. But the lure of performing proved too much. and he discreetly put the word about that he wanted to work on stage again. To his amazement, he had not been forgotten. He played summer seasons, pantomimes and one-night stands in vintage form, taking audiences by storm with his trademark parodies of famous songs.
In the late 1960s, he relaxed by playing around Liverpool as a part-time member of The
Saturated Seven, a Merseyside antidote to The Temperance Seven, whose band uniform consisted of Alcoholics Anonymous ties decorated with Tetley tea stains.
He made several wartime British films, including Rainbow Round the Corner (1943) and A Night of Magic (1944), in which he played Learning To Play The Uke, I've Got A Girl Friend, Manhattan Blues, Ragtime Mandarin, and A Million little Raindrops.
One of his final appearances was at the Music Hall in Ilkley, Yorkshire, in 2002 in a charity variety show alongside Jimmy Cricket, The Bachelors and Dottie Wayne. In retirement, he took to living on a narrow boat on a canal in Lancashire before moving to Southport.
Billy 'Uke' Scott, ukelele player; born March 12, 1923, died November 12, 2004.
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